Elevating and lowering conveyors

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an unloading device for use with a container elevating and lowering conveyor in which the containers, are hung on inwardly directed pegs secured to a pair of vertical continuously moving endless chains.

United States Patent 1 1 Pearson [4 1 Feb. 20, 1973 [54] ELEVATING ANDLOWERING [56] References Cited E R CONV Y0 S UNITED STATES PATENTS [75]inventor: Ian John Pearson, Erith Kent, En-

gland 2,380,172 7/1945 Harder ..198/27 X 3,204,755 9/1965 Caine..198/139 [73] Assignee: Sovex Limited, Kent, England PrimaryExaminer-Even C. Blunk [22] May 1971 Assistant Examiner-Douglas D. Watts[21] Appl. No.2 140,924 Attorney-Sommers 8!. Young [30.] ForeignApplication Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT This invention relates to anunloading device for use Feb. 8, Great B11131 a conta ner elevating andloweri g conveyor in which the containers, are hung on inwardly directed[52] US. Cl ..l98/27 pegs Secured to a pail. of vertical continuouslymoving [51] Int. Cl 47/00 endless chains [58] Field of Search...l98/156,27; 2l4/16.14 B, 623

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEBZOIQYB v sum 1 or a FIGJ PATENTEDFEBZ 01975 I SHEET 2 BF 3 F D n n I T ELEVATING AND LOWERING CONVEYORSThis invention concerns improvements relating to elevating and loweringconveyors, particularly selective document conveyors. It seeks toprovide a conveyor of this nature which is not only relatively simple,compact and inexpensive, but also readily adaptable to suit a variety ofrequirements.

According to the invention, there is provided an elevating and loweringconveyor comprising two endless elements, such as chains, movingcontinuously side by side in a vertically elongated path and includingan ascending and descending flight and having at intervals members, suchas pegs, projecting inwardly towards each other from the side elements,and one or more containers adapted for being swingably suspended fromsaid elements by outwardly projecting parts of the containers engageableby the said members, so that the said containers will remain suspendedin a vertical position while passing around an end of the said path,wherein a container is unloadable from a descending flight of saidelements by means of a device which is pivotable between two restpositions in one of which it extends into the path of a descendingcontainer and is adapted to engage the underside of container and toremove the same from said inwardly projecting members, the weight of thecontainer then causing the device to pivot to its other rest position inwhich it is removed from the path of subsequent descending containers.

One manner of carrying the invention into effect will now be more fullydescribed by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings,in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of part of a conveyor, illustrating oneloading and one discharge station,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a discharge conveyor at the discharge station,

FIG. 3 is a side view of the conveyor shown in FIG. 2.

In this example, the containers 1 are of an upwardly open bucket-likenature, with a wide and deep substantially rectangular, but slightlydownwardly tapering, shape as seen in front elevation (not shown) andwith a narrow slightly downwardly tapering shape in side elevation (FIG.1). The end walls 2 are each extended upwardly towards their middle, theupper end edges having outturned flanges or lips 3 rising to a crest 4at the middle. Such containers may conveniently be made from asubstantially rigid nylon or other plastics material, for example apolyethylene material.

The endless members are chains 5 of a small size commonly used astransmission chains, suitably having V4 to 1% inch pitch. There are twosuch chains 5 one on each side of the conveyor, only one being shown inFIG. 1. Mounted at intervals on the chains 5 are pegs 6 projectinginwardly. The pegs 6, which have spherical extremities,'may be made ofsteel.

Loading is effected at the, or each, loading station, co-operating withthe rising flight of the conveyor, by means of a cradle, tray or grid. Asuitable arrangement is described in the specification of our BritishPat. No. 1,206,271.

Once picked up by a pair of pegs 6, the container 1 will hang freely ina vertical position from the pegs under its own weight, maintaining thisposition also at the upper, or upper and lower, ends of the side-by-sidechains 5 where the latter pass round sprocket wheels.

At the or each discharge station co-operating with the descending flightof the conveyor a discharge device 7 is employed which comprises a pairof substantially L shaped rods 8 both secured to a pivotal axle 9 andjoined at their upper ends by a plate 10.

In their discharge position, shown in full lines in FIG. I the rods 8extend upwardly between the two chains 5 the plate 9 resting against astop 11 made of rubber or other resilient material, and are so spacedthat a descending container 1 is picked off the pegs 6 and slides downthe rods onto the end portion 12 thereof.

The weight of the container 1 now acts to pivot the device 7anti-clockwise (FIG. 1) to the position shown in dotted lines in whichthe top edge of the plate 10 rests against a second rubber stop 13. Inthis position the end portion 12 of the device 11 slopes downwardly andthe container 1 is able to slide off on to rails 14 and thence on to abelt conveyor 15 if required. Rails 14 alone may be used for storage ofdelivered containers, the containers being subsequently taken off byhand. The device 7 remains in this position, well clear of the chains 5thus allowing subsequent containers to freely pass by.

When it is desired to remove a container, a solenoid device (not shown)is actuated to cause the shaft 9 and hence the device 7 to pivotclockwise to the position shown in full lines in FIG. 1. Once in thisposition the solenoid device can be switched off as the device 7 willremain under its own weight until a container 1 comes to rest on the endportion 12 causing the device 7 to pivot anti-clockwise as describedabove.

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of one example of a discharge conveyor 15 ontowhich the containers 1 are deposited after leaving the device 7.

The discharge conveyor consists of a first pair of spaced belts 16a and16b which are spaced apart such that the container 1 hangs between thembeing supported by its flanges 3 as shown. These belts 16a and 16b eachpass over a guide pulley 17 and a drive pulley 18. A second pair ofspaced belts 19a and 191; are provided following the belts 16a and 16b.These belts 19 are spaced slightly further apart than the belts 16 butstill sufficiently close together such that a container 1 can hangbetween the belts being supported by its flanges 3 which rest on thebelts 19.

The belts 19 each pass over a guide pulley 20 and a drive pulley 21. Amotor 22 drives the pulleys 18 and 21 by way of a belt 23.

As can be seen the driven ends of the two pairs of belts 16 and 19overlap so as to ensure a smooth transfer of a container carried by thebelts 16 to the belts 19. The drive pulleys 18 and 21 are bothadjustably mounted in the longitudinal direction of the belts both totension the belts l6 and 19 and also to vary the amount of overlap ofthe belts l6 and 19 and hence the overall length of the conveyor, theposition of the pulleys l7 and 20 also being adjustable.

In use, a container 1 is dropped from the unloading device onto thebelts 16a and 16b and is conveyed on its flanges 3 by them in thedirection of the arrow A, transferring to the belts 19a and 19b andfinally being deposited onto a conventional conveyor belt 25, on whichit travels in the direction of the arrow B now supported on its base, atright angles to its original direction of travel.

As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 the container 1 is supported on thebelts 16 ad 19 by the four tips 24 of the crested flanges 3.

As may be seen in FIG. 2, the belt 19a is shorter than the belt 19b andas the leading edge of the container 1 passes beyond the end of the belt19a, the container is supported by only one flange tip 24 on the belt190, the two tips 24 of the other flange 3 both remaining in contactwith the belt 19b. The container 1 is thus supported at three pointsonly as it passes into position above the belt 25 and it has been foundthat despite this incomplete support, the container remains completelystable and does not tip forward.

As the rear edge of the container 1 passes beyond the end of the belt190, the container is correctly positioned over the the belt 25 ontowhich it drops and is carried away.

I claim:

1. A container elevating and lowering arrangement which is characterizedby:

a. two endless conveyor elements which are arranged to move side-by-sidein a vertically elongated flight including an ascending and a descendingflight,

b. a plurality of pairs of container support members, such as pegs,located at spaced intervals along said endless conveyor elements, theindividual members of each horizontally aligned pair projecting inwardlytoward each other,

e. at least one container having outwardly projecting end portions thatare adapted to engage one of said horizontally aligned pairs ofcontainer support members,

d. a container unloading device positioned adjacent the descendingflight of said two endless conveyor elements, said unloading devicecomprising a generally L-shaped member including a substantiallyvertical arm and a substantially horizontal arm secured thereto, saidL-shaped member being pivotally mounted adjacent the lower end of saidvertical arm so as to be movable between two rest positions in one ofwhich said vertical arm extends diagonally upwards between thedescending flight of endless conveyor elements where it is adapted toengage the underside of a container and to remove the container fromsaid container support members, the weight of the container then causingthe unloading device to pivot to its second rest position in which it isremoved from the path of subsequent descending containers.

2. An arrangement as set forth in claim 1 wherein said L-shaped memberis associated with a solenoid device which can be actuated to removesaid L-shaped member from said second rest position back to said firstrest position.

3. An arrangement as set forth in claim 1 wherein said L-shaped membercomprises a pair of L-shaped rods that are joined together at theirupper ends.

4. An arrangement as set forth in claim- 1 wherein a discharge conveyormeans is positioned adjacentthe second rest position of said containerunloading device.

5. An arrangement as set forth in claim 4 wherein said dischargeconveyor comprises a sequential first and second pair of horizontalparallel moving belts, the belts of each pair being spaced apart by adistance which allows a container to hang therebetween, bein supportedby said outwardly pro ecting end portions 0 the container, said firstand second pairs of belts being in overlapping relationship, and meansare provided for varying the degree of overlap between said first andsecond pairs of belts.

IF t

1. A container elevating and lowering arrangement which is characterizedby: a. two endless conveyor elements which are arranged to moveside-by-side in a vertically elongated flight including an ascending anda descending flight, b. a plurality of pairs of container supportmembers, such as pegs, located at spaced intervals along said endlessconveyor elements, the individual members of each horizontally alignedpair projecting inwardly toward each other, c. at least one containerhaving outwardly projecting end portions that are adapted to engage oneof said horizontally aligned pairs of container support members, d. acontainer unloading device positioned adjacent the descending flight ofsaid two endless conveyor elements, said unloading device comprising agenerally L-shaped member including a substantially vertical arm and asubstantially horizontal arm secured thereto, said L-shaped member beingpivotally mounted adjacent the lower end of said vertical arm so as tobe movable between two rest positions in one of which said vertical armextends diagonally upwards between the descending flight of endlessconveyor elements where it is adapted to engage the underside of acontainer and to remove the container from said container supportmembers, the weight of the container then causing the unloading deviceto pivot to its second rest position in which it is removed from thepath of subsequent descending containers.
 1. A container elevating andlowering arrangement which is characterized by: a. two endless conveyorelements which are arranged to move side-by-side in a verticallyelongated flight including an ascending and a descending flight, b. aplurality of pairs of container support members, such as pegs, locatedat spaced intervals along said endless conveyor elements, the individualmembers of each horizontally aligned pair projecting inwardly towardeach other, c. at least one container having outwardly projecting endportions that are adapted to engage one of said horizontally alignedpairs of container support members, d. a container unloading devicepositioned adjacent the descending flight of said two endless conveyorelements, said unloading device comprising a generally L-shaped memberincluding a substantially vertical arm and a substantially horizontalarm secured thereto, said L-shaped member being pivotally mountedadjacent the lower end of said vertical arm so as to be movable betweentwo rest positions in one of which said vertical arm extends diagonallyupwards between the descending flight of endless conveyor elements whereit is adapted to engage the underside of a container and to remove thecontainer from said container support members, the weight of thecontainer then causing the unloading device to pivot to its second restposition in which it is removed from the path of subsequent descendingcontainers.
 2. An arrangement as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidL-shaped member is associated with a solenoid device which can beactuated to remove said L-shaped member from said second rest positionback to said first rest position.
 3. An arrangement as set forth inclaim 1 wherein said L-shaped member comprises a pair of L-shaped rodsthat are joined together at their upper ends.
 4. An arrangement as setforth in claim 1 wherein a discharge conveyor means is positionedadjacent the second rest position of said container unloading device.